THE GARDENING WORLD 
Juiy 15, 1905. 
our Northern 
561 
curing imported plants. 1 consider in the 
first place that there is much of the native 
vitality in imported plants, when procured 
in anything like fair condition, which enables 
the plants to produce more vigour of growth 
than is found to be the case with plants that 
have long been under cultivation, and more 
satisfactory results are obtainable from im¬ 
ported plants, as well as the greater interest 
attached to the development of growth, which 
interest is always intensified as the plants 
reach their flowering stage and the flowers 
commence to expand. Secondly, it places the 
amateur and professional gardener on an 
equal footing, for however strong arguments 
may be brought forward to the contrary, I am 
bound to assert that it is impossible for any¬ 
one to contend he can, in the slightest degree, 
indicate any particular characteristics which 
will aid him to define w T hat particular varieties 
the dried pseudo-bulbs of imported Odonto- 
glossums may contain. 
At the present time there are numbers of 
private establishments containing many 
thousands of plants of Odontogloissum 
criigum that have been secured during the 
past two or three years, with a view of flower¬ 
ing some remarkable form, which is to-day 
so much sought after and so greatly and 
highly prized, yet how frequently does it 
occur that the plant thus sought after appears 
with the small amateur, who is compelled by 
means and limit of space to confine himself 
to securing a very limited quantity of plants. 
I know of one instance where perhaps the 
finest variety that has yet been seen was 
flowered by an enthusiastic amateur, who 
secured twenty-five plants at 5s. each, almost 
the first to flower being the subject under 
note, for which a sum of £600 was realised. 
I do not wish to cite this case in any possible 
way but for the purpose of showing the pos¬ 
sibilities that are always more or less attached 
to the cultivation of imported plants. 
The plants, when received, are usually 
cleaned of decaying material and graded ac¬ 
cording to size and number of pseudo-bulbs, 
the smaller ones generally being put together 
in lots of three or six, perhaps, and realise 
from 2s. 6d. per' lot upwards when sold by 
auction, the trade dealers selling in single 
plants or in quantities at prices according to 
grades. The amateur should not be too 
anxious about securing the highest prices ; the 
intermediate, running on the small side, are 
the most suitable for their purpose. 
The Treatment of Imported Plants.— 
Where Targe quantities of imported plants 
are received to be established, the general 
principle followed is to make up beds on the 
stages about 3 in. deep. A layer of drainage 
is first placed on the stage, then a compost 
consisting of equal portions of fibrous peat 
and chopped sphagnum and leaf soil, with 
sufficient rough sand or broken crocks added 
to render the compost porous. This is 
levelled and made firm. The plants are then 
planted out thickly in rows. Here they may 
remain until they flower, or may be potted up 
as desired when growth advances. For 
smaller quantities the plants may be potted 
up as soon as received, the pots being filled 
to one-third their depth with clean drainage. 
They should only be sufficiently large to con¬ 
tain the plant comfortably, firming in the 
space that remains with the compost men¬ 
tioned above. If the compost is damp very 
little water is necessary until the new roots 
and growth make their appearance. When 
well established, ample root moisture is neces¬ 
sary, and a humid condition of the atmosphere 
is desirable. A temperature of 50 to 55 deg. 
with normal conditions suits this plant best. 
H. J. Chapman. 
Flower Garden and Pleasure 
Grounds. 
Wallflowers. —These must be planted out 
in nursery lines before they become crowded 
in the seed plot; the most convenient place 
in which to plant them out is in a quarter in 
the kitchen garden that has been cleared of 
such early crops as Peas, Cauliflowers, or 
Turnips. Dig the ground, but do not manure 
it, as a firm, stubby growth is what is desired. 
Albino Kale. —A good strain of this varie¬ 
gated Kale is very useful for spring bedding, 
and where they have been sown they should 
be planted in nursery lines the same way as 
Wallflowers. 
Sweet Williams and Canterbury Bells 
should also be similarly treated. 
Aquilegias. —The long spurred sorts are 
well worthy of cultivation. Prick off into 
boxes the seedlings that were sown in spring, 
and place them in the open air in the frame 
ground. 
Gladioli . -These must be staked and tied 
before there is danger of their being injured 
by high winds. 
Roses in Scotland should be at their best 
by the time these notes appear, and the care¬ 
ful cultivator will be reaping his reward. 
Remove all decaying blooms, and continue to 
stop any over-vigorous shoots. 
Conservatory and Greenhouse. 
Chrysanthemums. —These are now growing 
freely, and tying must be closely attended to. 
Dust with tobacco powder for green fly. 
Opinions differ, but I think stimulants should 
be withheld till the ball of soil is well filled 
with roots. 
Salvias. —Salvia splendens, now so popular, 
will be benefited by frequent applications of 
weak liquid manure. S. Heerii is a useful, 
early, spring-flowering variety, and should be 
treated much the same as the Chrysanthe¬ 
mums. It attains a height of about 4 ft., 
and has bright scarlet flowers. 
Carnations can hardly be excelled for con¬ 
servatory decoration, and they are now giving 
a good account of themselves. They should 
now be layered in well-ventilated frames, 
using sandy loam in which to sink the layers. 
C. C. 
The Kitchen Garden. 
The Drought .—We are this season expe¬ 
riencing the most prolonged spell of dry 
weather that has been for many years. Crops 
of all kinds are suffering very considerably, 
and many are likely to be almost a failure. 
It is in a season like the present that the 
benefits of well-worked and heavily-manured 
soils are most apparent. Peas are nearly three 
weeks earlier than last year with us, but all 
the same are not filling fast. Later rows are 
looking remarkably promising. 
The Brassicas. —Where my advice about 
planting and watering these was tried it will 
be seen that these look fairly well and that 
the blanks are very lew. If we only now had 
rain the winter kinds, at all events, would yet 
be all right. 
Spring Cabbage. —The season for sowing 
these is again ait hand. I strongly advise 
sowing these early, especially in late districts. 
In early places, from the 15th to the 21st is 
a good time, but in less favoured localities it 
is well to have them in by the 9th of this 
Gardens. 
month. Ellam’s Early Dwarf is a good 
variety, but Sutton’s Flower of Spring °is a 
better. I have grown this latter now for a 
good many seasons, and find it by far the more 
reliable. 
Celery —Be sure this crop does not suffer 
for want of water. After a thorough soaking 
a little soil placed round the early crop will 
not only help to retain the moisture, but is 
always forwarding the work of blanching. 
Seakale. —Be very generous to this crop. 
An occasional soaking with liquid drainings 
from the cowhouses is very beneficial. Do not 
allow the plants to seed, as this is a great 
drain on them, and they cannot possibly form 
strong crowns if thus neglected. 
General Remarks -—Do not neglect salad- 
ings, as it is in hot, dry weather that these are 
most in demand. Plant more leeks, and if 
dry give one good soaking of water. Tomatos 
should now be getting stronger liquid feeding. 
Like other plants, the Tomato likes a change 
of stimulants, so do not. rely only on one kind 
of manure. ' ‘ C. Blaih. 
Preston, Linlithgow. 
Hardy Fruit. 
Wall trees, I find, are again in want of 
going over, especially the Peach trees, where 
blister lias been, prevalent with the cold, 
cutting winds and continued hard, dry 
weather. In cases where one had not time 
to give frequent syringing, especially during 
the - bedding, when in most places labour is 
pretty hard taxed, young shoots wijl require 
tying in and regulating, and give attention 
to the fruit as the operator goes along, but 
until the stoning season has been got over 
I do not think it is advisable to thin too hard. 
All deformed and misplaced fruits are better 
removed at once, such as those pressing against 
the wall or wire, or where more than one are 
growing together. A fruit to every square foot 
all over the tree is considered an excellent 
crop. 
Plums on walls have not turned out the 
satisfactory crop they looked earlier in the 
season with their abundant appearance of 
blossom. There was a likelihood of a heavy 
crop, but I find, on going over them, there are 
very poor results. They will now be much 
better for being gone over, stopping all the 
breast wood at four and five leaves, and laying 
m and regulating young wood, taking up a 
young branch wherever it can be accommo¬ 
dated in view of having a.n old branch re¬ 
moved. I find that young wood introduced 
on old trees gives so much finer fruit, and 
acts as a stimulus to growth, and Plum trees 
treated so will continue much longer in bear¬ 
ing condition than most fruit trees. 
Where Figs can be grown out of doors if, 
is well to thin and regulate fruit. AH 
deformed or badly-shaped fruit are better re¬ 
moved at once, and superfluous shoots taken 
away to give air and light to fruit and 
thoroughly maturing of present year’s 
growths. 
Pear walls will also require the same atten¬ 
tion in stopping growth and laying in wood ; 
also thinning of fruit where it has set too 
abundantly, which is the case in some 
varieties, while others are almost deficient. 
We had such a series of cold nights to contend 
with during the flowering period that later 
flowering varieties in sheltered positions had 
the only chance of escape, and I find I have 
a better crop on them. 
J. Fraseb Smith. 
Cullen Gardens, N.B. 
